One of the Protesters

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

There have been many protests in the last year and for good reason. We definitely no longer are the name we say we are. The United States, is an inaccurate name for what we used to be. I am not saying we will not rebound, but it certainly seems like a long time in the making.

This protester seems to be complaining about the cold as well as the state of Washington, DC. However, like many, at least he got outside, to join the horde of displeased people.

When capturing the human figure it seems best to just put down on paper your washes and move on. Otherwise, it is too easy to go back and overwork the image. Over time, I have learned to appreciate the freshness of the application of washes in watercolor. 

This guy had a fanny pack on which blended in with his clothes.

One-Wash Watercolor

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

Some of the best watercolors are done quickly, with little time wasted. Usually, with a very limited palette.

I am not saying this is a great watercolor but it was done in no time at all. Also, it was painted in one wash - suggesting the impact to the viewer can be significant. Personally, I like the blending of the pigments at the base of the wash - there is a little 'blurry' quality where some isolated vegetation rests. The other quality which stands out - is the lack of temperature - this picture does not feel particularly warm or cool, simply neutral.

This was painted with just two pigments: sepia and quinacridone gold. It has a 'sepia ' feel to it as if it was from a historical document. The stark simplicity of the composition and treatment of the subject are quite striking. It is almost memorable just for the presentation of this wash.

 

Red into Blue

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Adding the color red into your sky can transform your landscape painting. It gives you this brownish gray mood which sets the tone for your scene. I forgot how effective this is when I accidentally dropped some cadmium red into my ultramarine blue sky. Also, the red can play off the red you have in your landscape, whether it is a burnt sienna or Indian red, etc.

I find this approach may give your watercolor a British or historical feel.

This is another example of how important it is to constantly experiment with your mark -making, pigment usage and paper selection. For example, I try every kind of paper I can find. Also, I use all the different surfaces from rough, hot press, soft press, cold press to illustration board.

Latest Plein Air

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

After all this rain, humidity and cloudy days, it is great to get outside and paint. When it is hot and humid out I find the early evening the best time to paint. If you are lucky you can capture the setting sun in one form or another.

This local park is a nice short walk from my house, yet full of potential subject matter. There is usually diverse groups of people in the park making for some interesting interactions.

This mature evergreen on the edge of the field has a distinctive branch structure which frames the open space nicely. Also, it attracts a lot of bird species.

Today...........A Still Life

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

Charles Reid(1937-2019) had a great way of capturing flower compositions without overdoing it. I admire all his work, but particularly his floral pictures. He left much of the paper white - unpainted, to great affect.

This is a different subject matter for me, although not all that different in some regards. In my life I have sketched, drawn or painted many plants. The texture of this Baohong watercolor paper I find intriguing. Lots of saturated color in segregated areas.

This watercolor gives me a lot to think about before painting my next flower composition. I don't want to spend hours on end painting flowers, not that I did in this case. However, I like the freshness of a few washes done rapidly with some precision.

 

This Evening's Plein Air

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

A few years ago I was given ten stunning daylily plants from Olallie Daylily Gardens in Newfane, VT. In normal times I would not see them bloom as mid-July is usually vacation time. Obviously, this year, with the cost of living outrageously out of control, I was home to see the flowers in bloom.

This watercolor has a Winslow Homer(1836 - 1910) look to it, consciously or not. I painted one of my daylilies in bloom but didn't want to spend a lot of time fussing with the background, particularly as the light was already low. Instead, I dropped in a landscape, which gave the flower a greater presence with it's upward perspective. Some daylilies, to me, have a tropical look, which this landscape embodies.

I painted this watercolor this evening as the sun was setting. The bugs got the better of me in the end.

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

My wife and I often usher shows at the Colonial Theater in Keene, New Hampshire. Through the years we have seen plays, comedians, musical acts and community performances live. Along the way we have met many people in the theater or in working these shows.

This watercolor depicts the landscape adjacent to the Showroom which the Colonial Theater opened shortly after COVID-19 passed. Whenever I park in this lot, the late day light and setting sun draw my attention.

It feels good to paint buildings in the landscape. Something about the way buildings shape and define spaces make the landscape compelling. When you add in the shadows, cast by these buildings, there is another layer of life that reveals itself.

Fall Colors

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Fall colors really push the range of one's palette. The high oranges and reds are in a range I don't paint everyday. Likewise, the deep, cool blue-greens I don't use often, too. 

This picture reminds me of a walk through the woods in late October when the days have become short. I did this picture to escape from the poor air quality brought on from the Canadian fires and the high humidity of summer. There is a crispness in the watercolor washes that is descriptive of the cool and clear evenings of late fall.

I like it when the contours of the landscape reveal themselves, whether it is the outcroppings of rock or an undulating shoreline.

 

Statue on the Brattleboro Common

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Statues are great opportunities to capture the human figure. They are put high up on a pedestal to increase their relevance, whether they are deserving or not. However, the way the light descends across their body during the course of the day, makes them quite captivating.

This statue can be found on the Brattleboro Common(VT) as part of the 1887 Civil War Soldier's Monument. Not long ago it was discovered that local black Americans who sacrificed for this country. were not being represented. This racial discrimination was amended with a new engraving at the foot of the statue.

I always wanted to paint a statute and so I did. I am sure I will paint many more in the future. This looser approach for the sky, with a wet wash, I believe, complements the subject matter of the figure.

Cigar Boxes

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Cigar boxes are a neat and convenient way to store art supplies. They come in all kinds of sizes from rectangles, squares and the like.

This one I found at my local second hand store. It cost ten dollars and was in incredible condition. Some you have to air out for some time, to get rid of the cigar smell, but not this one. Also, the hinges were in great shape with a good clasp. Often there is hideous advertising on the top but I kind of like this one.

I primarily store fountain pens, pencils and the like which are easily accessible in my home studio. Also, you can stack many of these cigars boxes of similier dimensions on top of each other.

I have written on cigar boxes in the past but this one was too good to pass on.

Summer

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

The recent prolonged heat wave with high temperatures and high humidity sapped the energy out of me. It was hard to stay outside for any length of time. However, I did get some outside swimming in.

I swam twice in Lake Spofford which the New Hampshire Fish & Wildlife Game Department identified as the cleanest lake in New Hampshire. Where I was on the lake I did't see any European Milfoil, at all. It was lovely.

It's great to paint a summer scene. And to me these are the colors of summer.

 

Landscape Painting.

 

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

Landscape painting takes expression in all kinds of forms. Sometimes it is a great vista(ie. the Hudson River School) or a lovely garden detail. This watercolor may look illustrative and in fact, be illustrative, the result of direct painting while recently, watching Shakespeare in the Park.

This is a different kind of watercolor for me. Nevertheless, it was the back lighting of the woods which caught my attention in contrast to the dark foreground. That setting sun revealed a drama unmatched by the drama on the stage.

When painting outside I have learned all I really need is two or three brushes to complete a picture. I like the freshness of the colors in this picture.

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Last night my wife and I attended a community theater production, Shakespeare in the Park. As we enjoyed the show, I made this watercolor sketch of the scene in front of me. The actors did a wonderful job, but I always enjoy watching the audience as well.

My wife is an aficionado on all things Shakespeare. She is more than willing to correct people or ask their opinion on modern interpretations of the various plays.

I did this watercolor on my lap while eating dinner outside in a lawn chair. It is always fascinating for me to observe people with their diverse postures and assortment of accumulated stuff that they lug everywhere. Also, this Shakespeare play brought out an eclectic group of dogs, which held their own, for the most part, even though there were many distractions.

Reflections & Expressions

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

Over time with practice one finds their way around the paper. By that I mean intuitively artists begin to know where to place a mark and start painting without hesitating or fussing about. The intimidation of a white sheet of paper is no longer really such a factor. 

I think this plays out as you learn how the paper accepts the pigment and the amount of time you have to manipulate the paint before it starts to dry. Then your knowledge of your palette comes in to play. You can mix colors based on past experiences, observe what is in front of you or experiment with new and unknown color combinations.

I like it when a little doodle turns into a landscape. Do you paint the tree first with the landscape around it or do you paint the landscape and add the tree later? 

When I doodle the landscape develops in it's own time. It progresses without expectations or rigid thinking.

There is an abstract quality to this watercolor which I find calming. The stillness of the implied water and the sense of a moment frozen in time. Both of these qualities are expressed through the reflections upon the water.

 

Crowell Park

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

This was painted after a wet, stormy Friday afternoon. Little did I know that trees and downed limbs were struck all over the tri-state region(MA/VT/NH). Allergies were killing me, I could barely breathe. Then it dawned on me - that in fact, it was allergies and nothing else that was bothering me. So I had throat coat tea and was much better off.

However, when I painted this watercolor big drops of water were still falling on me out of the sky. So I moved to a different picnic table with greater cover under a tree which opened up my vantage point, too. The rain cleared everybody out of the park. Before long a rainbow emerged toward's the East over the tree on the edge of the basketball court.

Compositionally, this basketball court in the foreground adds much needed contrast to all the green in the painting. This picture was painted rapidly as it was done on my walk home from downtown.

Sometimes the best paintings happen with the least planning or emotional input. Not that this is a great painting but there is a freshness in this picture which in my mind shows the potential of watercolor. I was forced to make rapid decisions, yet be flexible in my decision making.

Brooks Library Painting

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

My local library, Brooks Library in Brattleboro, VT currently has a dedicated watercolor station for those from the public who would like to give watercolor a try. When I was at the library yesterday, I gave it a go as the British say.

This is my quick watercolor using the libraries resources. These aren't the paints, brushes or paper I would normally use but they did the job. Plus, the paper didn't buckle at all. I just made this scene up to see what I could come with.

My only criticism is that there were no paper towels to clean-up the palette for the next person to use. I do like the vibrant colors which reminds me of the energy of spring. 

I would be curious what other people come up with.

The Season of Greens

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Spring seems to have raced into summer, at least here in southern Vermont. A heat wave in the early parts of June seems out of character for where I live. Not long ago, 'The Strolling of the Heifers' dominated the first weekend of June, This same weekend is when the Hadley(MA) asparagus festival is  held. A gardening client in Brattleboro told me she had eaten all the asparagus she grew before the month of June.

One thing that is certain is the landscape is green. The pollen everywhere makes everything fuzzy green, too. What I traditionally like about this time of year are the greens and browns in the landscape. The greens are the new growth emerging while the brown is the earth and waterways stirred up with runoff and dry patchers of earth.

When I finished this watercolor sketch it made me think of Acadia National Park, in Bar Harbor, Maine. The rounded peak of Cadillac Mountain and the brown-tinged rock outcroppings are strong characteristics of that area. Even the yellow-greens of the foliage resonate with me.

Crowell Park

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

There is a lovely park, walking distance from my house. I have actually written about this park in the past but perhaps it needs more publicity. Most Vermonters would't want it to get any more attention, though. It is the name or lack thereof which I find perplexing. 

Most parks are named and have large signs stating where you are in the world - giving identity or history to it's origins. The only reason I know this is called Crowell Park is because it is on the Brattleboro, VT bus line. There is an actual bus stop and shelter on the edge of the property with the bus route posted.

Back to the park. This a well-used and beloved park. It sits adjacent to the Green Street School and many people use it and it's paths in warmer weather to bypass walking along Green Street or Western Avenue. Parents of young children frequently bring their children to the playground while young men are often seen running up and down the basketball court. Also, dog walkers often use the park. In addition, there is a little used softball field.

When it is a hot and humid day I walk home from downtown through it's lovely shaded trails and inviting open spaces which are more pleasant than the noise and hustle of the pavement. I do not know the actual size of the park but it is larger than meets the eye or at least feels larger than one would suspect.

I have painted in the park numerous times from various vantage points. Late last fall I liked to set-up my painting equipment on the perimeter retaining wall which was a good height as I didn't need to lug an easel to this location.

Earlier this week I set-up to paint on one of the picnic tables in the park by the basketball court which is sheltered by a dense hedge and lovely young tree bursting forth with new foliage. While a young asian man was shooting baskets by himself he became curious what I was doing. Eventually his basketball ball rolled over by me and we struck up a conversation. He was impressed by my use of color and handling of the paint at my disposal. It made him think of the park differently and why I focused on the area I did.

I think the Brattleboro Historical Society should do a feature on the Crowell Park in the local paper if it hasn't done one recently. It is certainly a vital part of the town.

View Towards Mt. Wantastiquet

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Some days it is good to just get in a watercolor sketch. For whatever reason, putting pigment to paper in a rapid fashion is very satisfying. This let's the texture of the paper reveal itself intead of fighting it. It is sort of a 'letting go' experience.

This was painted in the early evening from one of my favorite 'stone' benches in downtown Brattleboro, VT.  I could hear but not see distant motor boats on the Connecticut River below.

I lifted pigment from the paper suggesting distant tree trunks across the river. At the time with the spring colors and shadows so lively, the values projecting from the landscape were so clear to interpret.

At this time of year, painting in the early evening is a good time to get outside. The high temperataures, humidity and sweat of the day has often settled.

Retreat Meadows

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

One of the great signs of spring is the arrival of birds. Both the activity of birds and the song of birds simply enriches our lives in ways we don't fully comprehend. Birds evolution with the landscape is complex and mis-understood. 

Just this past winter, I read a book(In Search of the Imperial Woodpecker, author?) about the Imperial woodpecker of Mexico which was nearly two feet tall. When this ivory-billed woodpecker hammered into the tall pine trees it resonated throughout the valley. The native people back in time considered it a sacred sound.

Stuff like this about birds is fascinating to me. I have gone on bird walks with organized groups this spring to learn what ever I can.

This watercolor was painted on a bird walk in early May with a great diversity of song up in the emerging tree canopies. The new growth and rich blues of the sky and water drew my attention,